The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) in Ukraine assisted ceasefire in some settlements along the contact line in the forceful operation zone for the possibility of repairing water supply systems, OSCE SMM Deputy Head Alexander Hug said.

The OSCE SMM assisted ceasefire in Spartak, Horlivka and Mayorsk to repair damaged water supply systems, Hug said at a briefing in Kyiv on Thursday.

The conflict parties continue to take positions in residential quarters and as long as this goes on, local residents will continue to suffer, Hug said.

Only about 70 local residents are left in Opytne near Donetsk because of continuing battle actions, he said.

Most of them permanently live in basements, the threat of shooting is constant, people say they have little food and water and utilities do not work, Hug said.